Tony Winner Lea Salonga to Join Les Miz as Fantine- Page 6

[augustine73]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 7:02pm

i know her character is going to die again.. LOL.. but who cares. atleast she's going to sing one of the best song in Les Miz.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 8:27pm

Yes, a character that dies again but, she does get to sing at the end as well. She will also play a bullet boy and a male soldier in between. You just have to look for her.

[augustine73]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 10:36pm

bullet boy and a male soldier? yay! i thought she's gonna have a long rest backstage. LOL.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 10:46pm

Do you think Cameron Mackintosh might add the rest of Come To Me?

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 11:00pm

An extended "Come To Me" at the Finale?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 11:05pm

bullet boy and a male soldier? yay! i thought she's gonna have a long rest backstage. LOL.

No, most Fantines are also bullet boys. Including Daphne. LOL.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 11:09pm

Musicaltheater1, where did you get that picture?

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 12:52am

Becoz_i_knew_you21 - The picture is from her site. She posted that as soon as it was officially announced that she'd be playing Fantine. Beautiful lady, isn't she? I bet you it's the official bio photo for Playbill or a test for the Fantine costume/wig check.

Updated On: 1/6/07 at 12:52 AM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 1:02am

Her daughter is incredibly cute, too.

https://bigsis222.multiply.com/

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 1:06am

The cutest baby! Will she follow her mom's footsteps? Revival of Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, and Flower Drum Song? :)

[jewishboy]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 3:55am

No I meant Fantine's death, Daphne does not sing the full song. I was wondering if they will add the rest now that Lea Salonga is joining.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 4:04am

It has nothing to do with Daphne. They took it out for the overtime cuts in 2000/2001 and never put it back in (completely).

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 1:14pm

ugh... one of the WORST cuts made to the musical... that and cutting parts of IN MY LIFE... the i can live with (although i'm so used to the original that when i watch the show i'm still singing that version in my head and it irks me.. haa)

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 2:28pm

Oh ok, no wonder this production seemed rushed to me, especially at the ending. I just wish Celia, who by the way is an excellent actor and singer, would bring the character a notch down during "A Little Fall of Rain." It seemed a little weird for someone who's dying to be crawling anxiously towards Marius just to get a kiss. :)

By the way, according to an interview with Lea Salonga, she starts rehearsals next month so, whoever's watching in February...you may just catch her in the theater.

Updated On: 1/6/07 at 02:28 PM

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 2:34pm

Yeah that baby is adorable.

[theminutepast]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 6:55pm

Actually, I thought this A Little Fall of Rain was one of the most believeable Eponine deaths.

[MovieGuy1031]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 10:13pm

Agreed, theminutepast! I thought so too! Plus, the fact that she died before reaching Marius' lips was HEARTBREAKING!

I almost cried... but my mom and aunt totally did.

[Reverie]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 10:39pm

How much of Come to Me was cut?

[jo]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 11:43pm

>>>Interesting casting though. Salonga's kind of miscast but so was Vega.<<<

Maybe because Lea continues to look like an ingenue and sings like an angel, that she is perceived as maybe too young for the role? I won't be surprised though if she brings a fresh new look to the role of Fantine. She was excellent ( an Olivier and a Tony to prove it) as a fairly young mother who had to give up her child as Kim in MISS SAIGON. Isn't it a fairly similar situation as Fantine?

Lea must be in her mid-30's at this time and is also a mother now, so her added maturity should give her the experience to play the role vividly. Lea is a favourite on Broadway because of her crystal clear singing and her stage presence. And she does seem to enjoy a long professional relationship with Cameron Mackintosh.

Great news about Lea and Les Miserables!

Jo( rejoicing here in Manila )

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 1/7/07 at 2:54am

I hope they bring "I Dreamed a Dream" back to its original key for Lea...

~Steven

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 1/7/07 at 10:37am

Why? Was I DREAMED A DREAM lowered for DRV? And if so, by how much?

[enteng2]

Posted: 1/7/07 at 11:20am

I Dreamed a Dream was transposed half step down for DRV.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 1/7/07 at 12:42pm

Oh, it was lowered for Daphne? No wonder it sounded different when we saw it. I have to admit she's a good actress and her vocals are not as bad as I've heard and read. Just different. At certain parts where the note is supposed to be sustained, she didn't (at the intro). With that, I anxiously waited how she would sing the part "as they turn your dreams to shaaaaammmmmmeeeeee!" Well, she sustained the note alright but, still different from the classic style we have all heard or seen and it's quite difficult not to compare with the original style.

[enteng2]

Posted: 1/9/07 at 8:55am

yep, it was tranposed down for DRV. I know it worked for her since she pulled it through, more on acting. some folks told me that they were expecting less of DRV but when they saw her, she was really fine and secure with her singing plus the fact that she acts so good, it compliments both discipline.

isn't that the broadway-way? if you don't sing good-you must dance and act superbly, if you dont dance good-you must be excellent in singing and acting.(acting is still the baseline) since there's no dancing in fantine's character, DRV made it through superb acting with very decent singing.

[AnaGFan]

Posted: 1/9/07 at 11:13am

Lea has concerts in the Philippines until Feb. 17 or even later. Maybe she'll be in New York last week of Feb. I wonder if she has enough time to rehearse and all...